Love, Don't Be A Stranger
by LaurieLu9
Summary: Rabby. What happens when Abby uses her heart instead of her head? Will it get her what she wants or will it break again? I'm rubbish with summaries, please R&R xx
1. Pep Talk

**A/N: Carter went back to the Congo for Kem, leaving Abby who hadn't had the chance to tell him her real feelings for him. But since he'd left she'shad feelings towards Ray, feelings that she'd pushed to the back of her mind. She just thought she was still lusting after Carter. But what happens when she lets her heart tell her what to do instead of her head?**

**This is based around the song 'Love, Don't Be A Stranger' by Sara Evans. **

_'Love I haven't seen you in a long time  
Since then I ain't been worth a dime  
Hasn't been that long  
But it feels like years  
Last time it could have worked out better  
But you know we belong together  
Love don't be a stranger round here _

You know your way around my heart  
But I know you don't see well in the dark  
So I leave a light on and you won't get scared  
In the morning or even at midnight  
You can come on in its all right  
Love don't be a stranger  
Don't worry bout the danger  
Love don't be a stranger round here

_Last time you went away  
You made me cry, cry, cry  
Said I didn't need you anyway  
But I lied, lied, lied  
Love don't be a stranger  
Don't worry bout the danger  
Love don't be a stranger round here _

Love I'm a little bit smarter  
And I'll try a little bit  
This time I won't wind up in tears  
Love now that we're talking  
Maybe you'll come around more often  
Love don't be a stranger  
Don't worry about the danger  
Don't be a stranger round here

Last time you went away  
You made me cry, cry, cry  
Said I didn't need you anyway  
But I lied, lied, lied  
Love don't be a stranger  
Don't worry bout the danger  
Love don't be a stranger round here'

* * *

Abby wearily walked along the hospital corridor, one hand on her hip, the other rubbing the back of her neck. She'd already worked a shift and had then stayed on at the hospital to keep Susan company. She was exhausted.

Susan had gotten herself attatched to one of her patients whos life story sort of resembled her sisters. She had insisited on staying there all night to watch over her, and had maintained a vigil into the early hours of the morning. It was only after Susan had fallen asleep that Abby had crept away to the lounge and caught up on a few hours sleep herself.

She didn't understand why she had stayed there for, she didn't mind the fact that she did, it beats going home to an empty apartment, but for some reason she had felt obliged to. Maybe secretly she had felt a little attatchment to that girl herself, or maybe she was just there for support for her friend. Whatever it was Abby was still there, she would have given anything to get a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed, but the sofa in the lounge was just going to have to do for her. Abby looked down at her watch; it was 2:30am, she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Abby awoke from the noise of the busy Chicago streets, getting up from the sofa she went of to the coffee machine and poured herself a large dark coffee. She needed it after the night she'd had, her neck and back were sore after sleeping in the lounge.

She made her way through the ER and up to the ICU where Susan still was sleeping peacefully next to her patient. Abby walked towards her and patted her on the shoulder, Susan turned her head to face Abby.

"Susan?" Abby smiled holding out a cup of coffee to her.

"What time is it?" She asked a little groggily.

"About 6:45am."

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Oh God, my shift starts at 7am." Susan replied getting up, she stretched towards the ceiling and practically drank all of the coffee in one go, she straightened out her lab coat and looked over at the young girl laying in the bed. "Just think that could be Chloe lying there."

"But Susan it's not, and you've got to stop thinking like that." Abby said placing her hand over the top of her friends.

"I know, and I'm thankful. But how can someone get themselves into so much trouble like that?" Susan took in a deep breath. "Well she's stable at least and is more than likely to make a full recovery, but when she wakes up, she'd just better realize how lucky she is!"

Susan went to make her way back down to the ER, before Abby stopped her.

"Maybe you should think about going home Susan. You don't look so hot."

"Thank's Abby." Susan laughed. "Next time I'll know where to come when I'm looking to get my ego boosted."

"No problem." Abby laughed back, they made their way back down to the lounge and collected their things. After the night they'd had they deserved the day off whether Weaver liked it or not.

They made their way outside, the bitter Chicago wind hit them in the face bringing them back to reality. They both pulled their coats closer to their bodies and made their way over to the EL.

"Y'know this shows how much Chuck cares!" Susan laughed. "I didn't come home all night and he didn't even phone to see where I was."

"Yeah but it was only one night, I could be missing for weeks and nobody would even know I wasn't there. Until it came to paying the rent, then my landlord might come a'knocking." Abby smiled sitting down on the bench.

Susan laughed "A'knocking? What's that all about." She said sitting down next to Abby playfully nudging her. "And I would care! Loads of people would. I mean what about Ray? I thought you two were close?"

"We're just friends, you know. Friends, nothing more and nothing less." Abby put her hands in her pocket and leant forward.

Susan mirrored her friends actions. "Friends? Friends? No way there's more to it than just that. I've seen the way he looks at you."

"He's to young for me anyway. I mean come on he's in a rock band, he can't be that mature, he still rushes out of work to go 'Jam' with his friends."

"So who cares if he's in a band, or whats the matter? Do you go and pick up your pension on the only day he has off?" Laughed Susan.

Abby laughed. "Shut up! You know what I mean."

The carriage pulled up and Susan and Abby got on, pushing their way past people just so they got a seat.

"It's so nice to be out from that cold, it's so icy." Susan stated rubbing her hands together, trying to regain all feeling back in her fingers. "I reckon snow's on the way."

"No it's too cold to snow." Abby was staring out of the window lackadaisically.

They spent the rest of their journey together discussing the Chicago weather before it was Susan's stop. Susan departed, leaving Abby alone.

* * *

By the time Abby got back to her apartment it was 8am, she carefully made her way up the icy steps and into her home. It was freezing in there, Abby ran straight over to the heating and switched it on before going into the bathroom and turning on the shower.

When Abby got out of the shower her apartment had heated up nicely, she made her way into the kitchen her bare feet padding across the wooden floor. Opening up the refridgerator she poked her head inside to see what she could have, sighing she slammed it shut. Nothing. She practically lived like a guy. There was dirty clothes strewn all over the place, there was nothing in the cupboards and the place was dirty. She had to sort herself out.

But that would have to wait until later, she was too tired to do anything. Right now all she could think about was her head on a pillow. Making her way into her room she changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed, no sooner did her head hit the pillow she was gone.

****

Thank you for reading! You know what to do now! Hit that button on the bottom left! (",)


	2. Now Or Never

_'Good morning Chicago, it's six thirty and your listening to me; Ryan Greenwood on the breakfast show and right now it's Stacie Orrico with 'Stuck.'_

_"I can't get out of bed today, or get you off my mind."_

Abby reached her arm over and hit the button on her alarm clock. It was true, she really couldn't be bothered to get out of bed and he was on her mind. They both were. Maybe Ray was interested in her? But she just couldn't get Carter off of her mind, she just wished that she'd had the chance to tell him her feelings. All of those years she had to tell him and she never had the guts to tell him. But she had the chance with Ray, and in all honesty if she was being true to herself, she really did like him.

She sighed and jumped up out of bed, all this procrastinating would have to wait until later, she had to get ready for work.

By the time she'd left her apartment it was seven forty five, if she was lucky she'd make it to work in time, it took roughly ten minutes to walk to the EL and it got there at seven fifty five, then it took five minutes to get to work. But knowing how packed it usually was, she'd be lucky to get a space on there.

Luck must have been on Abby's side, not only did she get a seat on the EL, but she made it to work with three minutes to spare.

"By the skin of your teeth Lockhart, your lucky." Weaver said as Abby entered the ER.

Kerry was on a rampage, so Abby decided against uttering a response. She made her way over to the lounge to take off her bag and jacket, bumping into Ray as he was just leaving the lounge.

"Woah." Ray said as they collided.

Abby looked back at Weaver then up at Ray. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Ray replied looking over to where Abby had looked previously. "I see you got cornered by the 'Wicked Witch of Chicago' as you came in too."

"Something like that." Abby said brushing past Ray to get into the lounge. "What time are you finishing?"

Ray turned back round to face her. "I'm off at eight."

"Me too, fancy going to grab a bite to eat at Ike's after?" Abby said chucking her bag and jacket into her locker and putting on her lab coat.

"Doctor Lockhart, are you asking me on a date?" Ray said with a cheeky grin.

"That would depend on what you would consider a date. If you define it as a friendly lunch between two mutual friends after work then yes, I suppose i am asking you out on a date."

"Then I suppose that I'll accept." Ray turned round and left the lounge.

Abby took in a deep breath and smiled. She'd done it! She'd asked him out, pleased with what she'd accomplished she put her stethascope around her neck and walked out of the lounge.

"Someone put whiskey on your cereal this morning?" Susan said when she saw Abby heading towards admit.

"I don't eat breakfast." Abby laughed. "Is it a crime to be happy?"

Susan threw her hands up. "Just asking. So did you think about what I said? About you and Ray?"

"Maybe." Abby said hiding her her smile, picking up a chart.

"I wanna know!" Susan said.

"Know what?" Abby said walking towards exam one.

"Your hiding something from me Abby! And I'll find out!" Susan laughed.

Abby pulled back the curtain and found a girl about thirteen wearing a soccer outfit, sitting on the gurney. "Hi...Louise." She said checking the chart. "I'm Doctor Lockhart, says here that you had a fall whilst playing soccor, and you've hurt your arm and your head."

Louise lifted up her head, and Abby saw the deep cut across the girls cheek. Abby put the chart at the end of the gurney and lifted the girls head up to the light so she could inspect it. "That's a pretty nasty cut you've got there."

"It's nothing much some girls soccor boots caught my head, my arm hurts more. I think she stood on it!"

Abby looked down at her arm, which she could see was clearly broken. "Okay I'll just clean up that cut and i'll suture it, then I'll take you up for an x-ray on that arm of yours. Do you have anyone with you? Mom, Dad?"

"Yeah my Mom's over at the jumbo mart she's just getting a cup of coffee. She said the hospital beverages couldn't be trusted."

Abby laughed. "I'm inclined to agree with her there. Okay I'll be back in a minute." She left the room and headed for admit. "Sam could you set me up a suture kit in exam one for me please."

"Sure." Sam smiled as she left.

Susan smiled at Abby. "Please?"

"There's nothing to tell. what do you want me to do make it up?" Abby laughed.

"If it'll satisfy my curiosity then yes please lie."

Abby poked her tongue out at her friend and turned around. As she did she came face to face with Ray.

"We have to stop meeting like this. Or people will start to talk." Ray laughed

Abby blushed and carried on walking.

"I told you." Susan shouted after her, laughing.

"Told her what?" Ray asked curious.

"Oh nothing." Susan laughed as she made off in the opposite direction to Abby.

"Okay Louise." Abby said as she entered back into exam one. "Let's sort out that cut then get you up to X-Ray. Is your Mom back yet?" Abby said putting on her gloves.

"No, she probably got talking. Once she starts theres no stopping her."

"Okay, you're going to have to keep very still for me now."

Louise lay back on the gurney and took a deep breath in.

"Don't worry honey it won't hurt." Sam said taking the girls hand in hers. "That's why I gave you that injection earlier." Sam smiled reassuringly to her.

* * *

After ten minutes Abby had finished. "Okay Louise we're all done." She said holding out a mirror to the young girl. "Want to have a look?"

"Cool." Louise said inspecting the stitches. "These are gonna be so awesome to show my friends."

"Louise! There you are honey." A woman said as she burst in through exam one, she pulled Louise into a tight embrace.

"Owww. Mom be careful." Louise said pushing her mother away with her good arm.

"I'm sorry honey." Her mother turned around to greet Abby and Sam. "Hi I'm Audrey. Audrey Williams."

"Hi Ms Williams, I'm Doctor Lockhart and this is Nurse Taggart. We're just about to take Louise up to X-Ray. Her arm looks like it had a clean break so hopefully we'll just pop it in a cast and she'll be able to go home. And as for her head thats all nicely sutured and there shouldn't be much of a scar there either."

"She's broken her arm! Oh my baby, does it hurt? Is there anything I can do?" Audrey said fussing over her daughter.

"Owww. Mom just leave off will you. Your hurting me." Louise blew her short dark hair from her eyes.

Abby helped Louise down from the gurney, and indicated for her to get into the wheelchair. "Okay Ms Williams, if you'd just like to wait down here, I'll be back down with Louise in a minute."

Audrey smiled and grasped her own hand infront of her. "Take good care of my baby."

"Mom, I'm going for an X-Ray, not a lobotomy." Louise said rolling her eyes.

Sam showed Audrey over to 'chairs' whilst Abby and Louise made their way over to the elevator.

"I'm really sorry about my Mom, sometimes she gets like that, she makes such a big deal out of the smallest things." She laughed.

Abby wheeled Louise into the elevator "Don't worry about it. My Mom was exactly the same when I was younger. She still is now, come to think of it."

"No one on this Earth could possibly be like my Mother!"

"What do you mean?"

Louise sighed. "It's hard to explain."

The elevator doors opened, Abby took Louise out abd stopped at a nearby chair.

"Try me." She said sitting down.

"Well I mean usually she's pretty normal, but other times she's like what you just saw and... I don't know, sometimes she can get in hysterics for no reason at all, crying and shouting." Louise said starting to fiddle with the hem on the bottom of her shorts. "I mean she's a great Mom, but sometimes, it can get a little scary. My Dad just usually leaves her when she gets really bad, and my brother left home because of her. But I don't want to leave her on her own."

"Have you ever heard of the condition...bipolar disease?" Abby said cautiously. She didn't want to jump to conclusions. Audrey could just be going through a rough patch in her life.

Louise shook her head. The word disease shocked her.

"Well it's kinda hard to explain, but its bascially like mood swings only they can be a lot worse. But they can be stabilized with meds. Now I'm not saying that, that is what your Mom has though."

"But you think it could be right?"

"It could be, but then there are a lot of different reasons why she could be the way she is." Abby stood up and gripped onto the back of the wheelchair. "Anyway! Let's do what we came up here to do, lets get that X-Ray."

Louise smiled up at Abby as they went off down the corridor.


End file.
